Expensive sports equipment and a SatNav have been returned to their rightful owners after officers arrested two men on suspicion of theft from motor vehicles in Stevenage.

A 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old man, both from Stevenage, were arrested on Friday and searches by officers subsequently led to tennis rackets being recovered, which had been stolen from a vehicle overnight in Cleveland Way on Saturday, April 16.

Officers also recovered a SatNav – which had been stolen from a car in Stanley Road on the same night. All the items have now been returned to their owners.

The arrests, which came about after a woman alerted police when she saw two men tampering with her car in Cleveland Way at around 1am last Wednesday, follow a spate of thefts from vehicles in the area.

Det Con Graeme Anness said: “These arrests demonstrate how residents play a key part in being our eyes and ears on the street. Our officers acted quickly after a report of an attempted theft from a vehicle, which led to two men being arrested and the recovery of stolen goods, which the owners were grateful to get back.”

If you see anyone acting suspiciously around vehicles, please report it to police by calling 101. If you suspect a crime is in progress always dial 999.